Castle Denise, Alkassab Abdulrahim T, Erler Silvio, Bischoff Gabriela, Gerdes Falk, Yurkov Andrey, Steinert Michael, Steffan-Dewenter Ingolf, Pistorius Jens
Julius Kuehn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Bee Protection, Messeweg 11/12, Braunschweig, Germany; University of Würzburg, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany.
Julius Kuehn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Bee Protection, Messeweg 11/12, Braunschweig, Germany.
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2025 May;296:118170. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118170. Epub 2025 Apr 11.
Bumble bees are important pollinators of crops in the field and greenhouses. They are naturally exposed to a combination of interacting stressors, e.g., loss of flowering resources and exposure to plant protection products. Mass-flowering crops are important resources for bees, but they may result in unbalanced nutrition due to different nutritional values. In this study, a semi-field experiment was conducted to evaluate the response of Bombus terrestris colonies after the application of a tank mixture containing the insecticide chlorantraniliprole and the fungicide prochloraz, either in monofloral-managed lupin (Lupinus albus) as high pollen protein resource or in presence of an additional polyfloral flower mixture. Our results demonstrate an evident effect on worker mortality after application of the tank mixture. Higher worker mortality in polyfloral treatments compared to the untreated control was observed. The number of young brood and pupae in colonies in polyfloral control were significantly higher than in monofloral treatment. However, no long-term effects on the number or weight of new queens were found. Furthermore, flowering resources, but not pesticide exposure, affected colony weight. Exposure to the tank mixture resulted in declining nectar yeasts abundance and an increasing proportion of phylloplane yeasts in forager guts. In conclusion, diverse flowering resources are important for a bumble bee colony's development. Even in a high pollen protein crop, low flower diversity may act as an additional stressor. Thus, we suggest further maintaining and promoting flowering strips or flowering fields in agricultural landscapes, even near high pollen protein crops, to enhance bee health.
熊蜂是田间和温室作物的重要传粉者。它们自然会受到多种相互作用的应激源的综合影响，例如开花资源的丧失和接触植物保护产品。大量开花的作物是蜜蜂的重要资源，但由于营养价值不同，可能导致营养不均衡。在本研究中，进行了一项半田间试验，以评估在施用含有杀虫剂氯虫苯甲酰胺和杀菌剂咪鲜胺的桶混制剂后，地熊蜂蜂群的反应，试验分别在单一管理的羽扇豆（白羽扇豆）作为高花粉蛋白资源的情况下，以及在存在额外的多花混合花的情况下进行。我们的结果表明，施用桶混制剂后对工蜂死亡率有明显影响。与未处理的对照相比，多花处理中的工蜂死亡率更高。多花对照中蜂群的幼虫和蛹数量显著高于单一花处理。然而，未发现对新蜂王数量或体重有长期影响。此外，开花资源而非农药暴露影响蜂群重量。接触桶混制剂导致觅食者肠道中的花蜜酵母丰度下降，叶际酵母比例增加。总之，多样的开花资源对熊蜂蜂群的发育很重要。即使在高花粉蛋白作物中，低花多样性也可能成为额外的应激源。因此，我们建议在农业景观中进一步维护和推广开花带或开花田，即使在高花粉蛋白作物附近，以增强蜜蜂健康。
